Pressing aid for box pleats



y 1967 M. A. HARNY 3,331,150

PRESSING AID FOR BOX PLEATS Filed Oct. 22, 1965 Fig.3 /2 I? I7! 2 /Ai\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Fig. 4

Mary A. Harny F 5 INVENTOR.

United States Patent ()fi ice 3,331,150 Patented July 18, 1967 3,331,150PRESSING AID FOR BOX PLEATS Mary A. Harny, Rte. 4, Box 204, Astoria,Oreg. 97103 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,961 1 Claim. (Cl. 38108)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An aid for use in pressing box pleats in agarment in the form of an elongated thin and relatively narrow platehaving a centrally disposed slot extending through the majorlongitudinal extent thereof together with a slidable collar mounted onthe plate for longitudinal movement with a setscrew provided for lockingthe collar in adjusted position. The slot in the elongated platereceives the abutting edges of the box pleat and overlies the portion ofthe box pleat disposed interiorly of the outer perimeter of the garmentwhen the box pleat is completely closed which is necessary when the boxpleat is being pressed.

This invention relates to a household device or accessory, moreparticularly, to a manually usable implement which functions to aid theuser in forming and pressing box pleats of any size and which also hasthe capability of systematically laying out and pressing medium to largeknife pleats, if so desired.

It is common knowledge that the job of neatly pressing pleats is notonly a time and labor consuming task, it is tedious and often quiteperplexing, especially when called upon to cope with heavy wool skirtsrequiring precision-type box pleats. The fact is, when a busy mother hasto press pleats for her own dresses and those of her daughters too sheis confronted with a real problem.

The object of the invention herein revealed is to provied a simple,practical economical hand implement which is such in functional designand adaptability that it provides the user with a practical aidpossessed of efiiciency due to simplicity and which is extremely easy touse with a minimum of effort but gratifying results. A few trial anderror elforts will serve to convince even the skeptical user that thedevice can he slipped into place, shifted progressively from one pleatto the next in a manner to achieve and end result which will justifyenthusiastic repetitional use when the task would otherwise be laboriousand distasteful.

Briefly summarized a preferred embodimentof the present invention has todo with a lightweight but durable stainless steel pleat forming andpressing plate. This plate is elongated, flat-faced and has a suitablyrounded and relatively blunt forward leading end and a rearward trailingend. The plate is of a length commensurate with, usually 24 inches moreor less in length, the pleat which is to be shaped, laid out andpressed. This plate is adapted to extend lengthwise from the hemline orfrom a position below the hemline to the stitched upper or top end ofthe pleat. The pleat has coplanar linearly straight outer marginal edgeswhich are parallel to each other. It is thick enough to beself-shape-sustaining and yet is thin enough that the finished pleat isinvariably devoid of undesirable press marks. In addition, it is of aprescribed width to provide a satisfactory pleat foundation or backingfor the ironing step and to achieve the shaping, pressing and creasingresult desired.

In carrying out the concept the plate is longitudinally bifurcated, thatis, slitted midway between its opposite or outer marginal edges. Thefurcations which result from this construction provide and define a pairof duplicate crease delineating and pleat basing and ironing legs. Theintervening resultant slot is adapted to straddle confronting creases ofthe skirt material whereby the legs are positionable fiatwise betweencoacting components of the selected box pleat.

The invention also features a bodily attachable and detachable gauge, asimple loop-like collar which is slidingly mounted on the rearward endportion and which has a forward leading edge at right angles to thelengthwise dimension of the plate. This edge is disposed above thecoacting surface plane of the plane of the plate therebeneath and isadapted to abut the hemline for accurate positioning of the plate and toassist one in creasing the hemline edge for reliably neat results.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a fragmentary portion of aconventional ironing board with a skirt located thereon and with theimproved pressing aid and showing how it is positioned and usedpreparatory to the pleat ironing step;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the pressing aid or device by itself;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section of an enlarged scale taken on the plane ofthe section line 33 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a similar cross-section but taken on the plane of thesection line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing how the device isinstalled and utilized when laying out, forming and ironing so-calledmedium to large knife pleats.

By way of introduction to the description of the details it is to bepointed out that while the implement herein disclosed lends itself tofeasible use (FIG. 5) when the user desires to lay out and form knifepleats, it is primarily and most successfully usable when employed inconnection with a skirt, for example the skirt A (FIG. 1) having broadbox pleats.

Regardless of the selected use of the device it comprises a simpleelongated, generally rectangular, stainless steel plate or platen whichis denoted generally by the numeral 8 in FIG. 2. As here also shown,taken in conjunction with the other views, this plate has fiat top andbottom surfaces. One may use the plate with either surface or sidefacing upwardly. For convenience the side or surface denoted generallyat 10 constitutes the top surface here. The plate has linearly straightlongitudinal marginal edges 12 which are alike. The portion of the platemidway between the edges is bifurcated to define a pair of likeelongated legs 14 and 16. The construction also provides an interveningelongated slot 18 which opens at 20 through the forward or lefthand endof the plate. The other end 22 of the slot terminates short of therearward end portion 24 to provide a relatively solid or intact endportion 26. It should be noted that the end 24 is at right angles to thelengthwise dimension of the plate. It will be further noted that theleading or forward terminals at the left have rounded tip portions 28which are blunt'As a matter of fact all of the edges and surfaces shouldbe smooth to avoid cutting of the garment or the users fingers. Thisplate is made of thin sturdy stainless steel or an equivalent material.It is thick enough to hold its shape yet thin so as'to leave no markswhen pressing the fabric. The slit or slot down the middle in actualpractice will be of two different widths. One

size will be to handle a woolen skirt and the one with the narrower slotor slit will be used for synthetic summer skirts. Also the length shouldbe about 24 inches. This length would take care of the skirt with pleatsfrom the waistband as is obvious. The plate is also provided, usually atthe butt end 26 with a bodily attachable and detachable gauge 30. Morespecifically this gauge comprises a loop-like or elongated collar whichembraces the plate and is freely slidable along the lengthwise edges.This collar has parallel straight across edges 32 and 34 which are atright angles to the lengthwise dimension of the plate. The closed endsare rounded as shown at 36 in FIG. 4. This gauge, also referred to as anadjustable bar, can be adjusted when working with a skirt shorter thanthe overall length of the plate. The leading edge of the bar would alsoserve as an aid to squaring off the bottom of the pleat before pressing.All edges of the parts should be rounded so as not to snag or cut thefabric as the plate is slid into place.

In practice the device is used in the manner illustrated satisfactorilyit is believed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, that is when the user desires toform and press box pleats, The legs are inserted under the top fabric ofthe box pleat and over the bottom pleat as shown particularly in FIG. 3.Starting at the hemline of the skirt the device is inserted all the wayup to the stitching at the top of the pleat. The gauge is then broughtinto play as shown in FIG. 1 and is held in place by a setscrew 38carried by the gauge and which engages the upper surface of the plate inthe manner shown in FIG. 4.

It is permissible to also use this device as an aid in pressing mediumto large knife pleats. This is shown in FIG. 5 wherein it will beevident that the left leg of the plate is inserted inside the pleat. Theright leg is placed atop the skirts surface. Using the hand as checkmeans the pleat lays neatly underneath and then havin ac complished thisthe pressing step can be undertaken and completed. Experience shows thatthe device helps to impart a sharp straight edge to the pleat as isbrought out, it is believed, in FIG. 5.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials, and rearrangement of componentparts may be resorted to in actual 4 practice without departing from thespirit of the invention or the invention as hereinafer claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: A pressing aid for box pleats in agarment comprising an elongated thin plate having a relatively narrowWidth as compared with its length and having planar surfaces andprovided with a substantially constant cross-sectional configurationthroughout its length, said plate having a narrow longitudinal centrallydisposed slot extending for a major portion of its length and beingdefined by parallel adjacent edges, the adjacent edges of the slotadapted to engage the opposite crease surfaces of a pleat to delineatethe crease when it is being pressed, the planar surfaces of the plate onopposite sides of the slot adapted to engage the folds of a pleat toenable the pleat to be pressed without forming wrinkles, an, annularcollar slidably mounted on said plate to form a gauge for lirnitinginsertion of a pleat into the slot, and manually op-,

erable means on the collar to lock the collar in adjusted position onthe plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS,

325,994 9/ 1885 Vannice 223-33 1,166,174 12/1915 Bisbee 22335 2,805,0079/ 1957 Aschbacher 223-35 3,084,836 4/1963 Peck 223-34 3,090,533 5/1963Claeys et al. 22335 3,133,681 5/1964 Shee 223-34.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Examiner.

